


To Build A Home (Nesting + Scent)

by IggyLikesPie



Series: Kylux Omegaverse Week [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha Kylo Ren, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Nesting, Pre-Slash, Weird Biology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-02 04:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19192147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IggyLikesPie/pseuds/IggyLikesPie
Summary: Ren is truly a hopeless alpha and Hux helps him reluctantly and not because he wants a home himself, not at all.





	To Build A Home (Nesting + Scent)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheSpaceCoyote](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/gifts).



> special dedication to TheSpaceCoyote for listening to my weird theories about alpha nests!

Kylo groans, rolling over in his bed again. He couldn't sleep, it was too hot despite him changing the room temperature, and his previous orgasms had just left him unsatisfied. He wasn't in a rut, perhaps there had been a shift in his hormones that had triggered it but he knew ruts and this was not one.

 

Just pent up energy, most likely.

 

He kicks off the sweaty covers and stares up at the ceiling. Sometimes he really hated being an alpha; he was always so wound up, violence would calm him for a little bit but the unscratchable itch would always come back, masturbating left him more frustrated and even fucking didn't help much.

 

With a groan, he gets up and begins dressing in his workout gear, prepared to go to the officer gym and start training early. Hopefully it'd be empty and he could get himself in check before the meeting with Snoke that was scheduled for the start of alpha shift.

 

The last thing he puts on is his helmet; he'd only remove it once at the gym if no one else was there. With that, he sets off and takes solace int the quiet of the early 'morning' on ship.

 

* * *

 

He feels a little better after his work out; he'd spent the last few hours going through his forms and doing his normal sets, too. Still, all his tension had not ebbed away and he knew Snoke would detect it, he could only hope he wouldn't be punished for it.

 

Hux wrinkles his nose as Kylo approaches, eyeing him where he waits to be admitted to the audience chamber.

 

"Are you nearing your rut, Ren?" he asks. "You reek, and it must be bad if I can smell it."

 

Kylo wants to growl at him but Snoke had told him he wasn't allowed to threaten the beta, no matter how much he may want to. He was annoying and preachy and Kylo wanted to remind him that he was an alpha, that he would dominate Hux should be need to. But no, Snoke made sure he wouldn't.

 

"I'm not nearing rut," he grumbles, his mask distorting his voice into a growl. "It's just... pent up energy." he says, coming to stand next to Hux before the doors, but it doesn't help.

 

Hux sniffs, looking back to the door. "Well at least build a new, clean nest; I don't need you contaminating my ship."

 

Kylo's head snaps to face him, anger rising. Stars, he wanted to reach out and just squeeze. "Don't talk down to me like I'm some omega child, general," and he does growl now, letting himself try to loom over the beta despite only there being an inch between them. 

 

Hux looks back at him, unflinching. "I'm not; you do need a new nest, though, it may even help your anger. If anything, I'm doing you a favour."

 

"I don't _have_  a nest, have you forgotten I'm an alpha?"

 

The beta raises an eyebrow now, genuinely looking confused. "How could I forget, your pheromones get everywhere because you're unregulated," he starts. "But omegas aren't the only ones who nest; it's a great part of their instincts but alphas nest too. Did you never learn about your own biology?"

 

Kylo tilts his head, thinking this over. His parents hadn't had a real nest given how much they travelled and Luke certainly hadn't taught anything but pure Jedi abstinence. Snoke wasn't even human so he hadn't been much help and Kylo had just learnt things as he'd gone, never anything about nesting though.

 

"I-" he starts but the doors open then, admitting them to their meeting.

 

He promised himself he'd look into it later.

 

\---

 

Kylo holes up in his room that evening, sitting with his pad as he tries to look into his own biology.

 

For years he'd just been getting by on what he picked up from... well, porn mostly. Such holos rarely showed nests and, when they did, it was always the best of an omega in heat. He'd never heard of anyone talking about qlpha nests.

 

He picks through the official Order database as well as public information on the holonet and finds that, for the most part, alpha nests were discussed mostly in insular groups of biologists.

 

The public sources were... lacking; lots of message boards, mainly other alphas, claiming that nests were omegan only and that the concept of an alpha nest was ridiculous and only existed to try to control alphas. Many claimed that they'd lived their whole life with no nest and were fine, some chimed in and said nests were propaganda to try to suppress an alpha's innate urges and more aggressive elements so that betas and omegas could take over.

 

He thinks some of them might be a little mad.

 

The official Order channels offered more information but not all were open to him, some servers being those of Academy and conditioning channels that he couldn't access, despite his standing as Snoke's apprentice.

 

However, the ones that were open provided scientific discussion and studies on the effects of beating on alphas. It appeared that, in ancient times when people had mated as soon as they presented, there were no need for alpha nests as mated partners would build one together. Over time, as matings were often pushed back, the need for alpha nests arose to ensure that an alpha's needs were met but most people focussed on omegas, mainly due to heats and a history of prejudice and violence.

 

Of course, Snoke had given him some guidance in terms of biology; mainly just saying what he already knew, that he was a male alpha human. None of the other Rens had been more knowledgeable and, outside of getting off every now and then, it hadn't mattered. But now he was uncovering things about himself he hadn't even known existed let alone unexplored, reading article after article. He was learning things like how a lack of nest left alphas feeling pent up, over aggressive, and unable to knot properly just to scratch the surface.

 

Confused about a certain article on knotting and the difference between nest-less (immature) and nesting (mature) knots, he follows various links to research that further. To say he's surprised by what he finds us an understatement. He can't help but stare at the diagrams comparing the two forms of knots, really reconsidering everything he knew about himself.

 

The immature knot was a swelling at the base, just enough to lock an alpha into place, and would last half an hourly cycle. The mature knot was _more_ ; probably the size of Kylo's fist and so red it looked almost painful, lasting anywhere up to two hours in some cases.

 

He shuts off his pad and leans back in his chair. Where did he start? Most of what he'd found had been discussions about whether alphas needed nests or not, not how to build one. Pulling the pad back up, a search for building a nest produces only results for omegas going into heat or expecting a pup. Not quite what he needed.

 

Vaguely, he wonders if the Academy files would have any more. He could request access, it shouldn't be too hard, right?

 

He opens up the server info and sighs at the admin name: _Authorising Authority: General Hux, A._

 

Kriff.

 

* * *

 

 

Kylo dawdles outside Hux's rooms for a few moments. Well, minutes. He really didn't want to go to Hux with this, especially not in person, but he'd really been left nl choice

 

There was no electronic request form, instead the instructions to gain access were to contact your superior so they could request any extra training needed. He hated the thought that coming to Hux felt like he was assigning him the role of 'superior', that was the last thing the jumped-up beta's ego needed.

 

Eventually, he reaches out and presses the door call button and waits, not wanting to force his way in squire literally) and give Hhx an excuse to deny him access.

 

_"This is Hux,"_ comes the tinny voice through the speaker.

 

"It's Kylo Ren, I... I need your assistance." he grits out, sounding even more reluctant through the growl of his vocoder.

 

The door opens to reveal Hux in the other side, still dressed in uniform except two button open at his neck. Already his scent was stronger from his skin being exposed, even though the mask Kylo could smell the cool scent of pine and earth after rain.

 

" _You_ need _my_ assistance?" Hux asks.

 

"Can I come in?"

 

"No; explain yourself." Hux insists, crossing his arms.

 

"It's really not the subject for a ship corridor." Kylo growls, stopping himself from just barrelling past the beta. He needed to make a good impression, even if it was a little late for that.

 

They stare each other down for a few moments before Hux steps aside and gestures for Kylo to enter. "Fine, but you're taking the bucket off your head,"

 

He pulls it off but scowls once he's set it down on the low table in front of the sofa. "My helmet shows battles I have fought in and survived, it is a symbol of my might-"

 

"It's a symbol that you're overly dramatic, what do you want?" Hux cuts in, holding a hand up.

 

Kylo only glowers deeper but manages to hold his tongue, Hux's annoying miniature lothcat _thing_ jumping onto the table to sniff his helmet. It had better not shed on it, _again_.

 

"I looked into alpha nesting and... I want to build one," he forces out, deliberately not looking at Hux.

 

The beta splutters. "And you come to me? Ren, if this is your weird way of asking to mate I'm-"

 

His head snaps up. "No! Stars, no!" he says quickly, even though Hux's neck looks so pale and plain without a mating mark... No! He was just wound up from research, that was it. 

 

That was definitely why he _imagined_ the look of hurt that flickered across Hux's face.

 

"I mean, I couldn't find _how_ , what I need and stuff, it was all about omegas," he says quickly. "I was hoping the Academy files would be more helpful but you're-"

 

"-I'm the authorising authority." Hux finishes with him, rubbing his brow. "Fine, I'll grant you access it it means you'll build a nest; hopefully it will calm you down some and reduce our damages budget." he throws Kylo a cold look, crossing to his desk and picking up his pad.

 

Hux's cat thing blinks up at Kylo as the beta taps away at his pad; Kylo is just about to ask what's up with it when Hux declares "Done, you have access to the sex ed files."

 

He looks up to find the beta looking at him, obviously wanting him out of his rooms.

 

Kylo nods. "Thank you." With that, he puts his helmet back on and leaves without saying another word.

 

* * *

 

The databank proves less helpful that expected. There were plenty of diagrams of all sorts of things, from male omegas dilating in childbirth to expanding mature knots but as far as nesting was concerned it was all rather lacking.

 

The sex ed files from the Academy insisted that no mating was to occur prior to the twenty first name day and both involved parties having an assignment; further information would be given in retraining sessions at the age of twenty one.

 

These files were also linked and, thankfully, Hux had given him access to those too. The refresher courses listed various rules about mating (including no alpha-only or omega-only pairs, Kylo rolls his eyes) from acceptable courting procedures and requirements to be met once mated if both parties wished to stay on the same ship. A very short footnote said that, should both parties want a child, signed and dated forms must be submitted a year in advance so the necessary time can be allowed for them to be off ship for the incubation and immediate afterbirth. The child must then be sent to a First Order approved colony for housing and schooling and the parents would be allowed certain visiting rights and extra holocall privillages. How very _orderly_.

 

But nothing about nesting.

 

Kylo groans and continues reading the further sections on relationships, through pages and pages of useless information such as 'Order approved locations of mating marks' and other shit.

 

He spends hours going through the files until he finally finds it under a section about sharing mating quarters: a nest was allowed to cover the bed but had to be built from personal affects and Order standard blankets only, any contraband would be confiscated and destroyed followed by reprimand or reconditioning, depending on the item(s).

 

It didn't say _how_ to build one, though, and that just left Kylo disappointed all over again. Did they anticipate everyone just _knew_? Was it an instinct thing? He was surprised there weren't blueprints or Order approved dimensions of something. But there was nothing.

 

He looks through the doorway to his own bed; very simple, very plain. How could he make a nest out of that when he didn't even know what it was meant to look like?

 

Putting down his pad, he decides he'll just go with it and see what he could make. After all, it couldn't make him any worse, right?

 

* * *

 

Ren had smelt worse lately. Ever since he'd shown up to Hux's door asking for access to the Academy sex ed of all things because he didn't know how to build a damn nest.

 

Hux had never been more thankful to be a beta; no nest to worry about and his sense of smell wasn't as sharp, no doubt Ren reeked to the omegas and alphas aboard. However, Hux _could_ still smell him and it was getting ridiculous so he opted to go to Ren and find out what I'm the Hell he was doing/had done.

 

The whole corridor around his quarters hums of stale alpha musk and sweat, only growing stronger the closer Hux got to the Ren's rooms. He has to cover his nose and mouth with his hand as he presses the door call, hoping to whatever deity that may or may not watch over him that the stench wouldn't stick to his clothes.

 

Ren opens relatively quickly, no bucket on his head thankfully. "Hux, what is it?"

 

"Let me in, we need to talk." he says, ducking around Ren's broad frame and into his rooms. 

 

Inside, the smell is only stronger and he has to fight the urge to gag on the overwhelming, eye-watering reek of stale alpha. It was like the back alley of some scummy bar, long gone was the faint scent of burning and wood and copper, like blood and bonfires. Hux didn't miss it, he _didn't_.

 

Kylo turns to him with a frown, the door shutting as he did. "Hux, you can't just-"

 

"Ren, you're stinking out the ship." he says flatly, getting right to the point. "I could smell you from three corridors away and I'm a beta, you're lucky you haven't started a territory war with another alpha onboard, even if my officers are on suppressants."

 

The alpha scoffs. "I'd win any stupid turf war but besides that- of course I stink, I've been training all day, I'm-"

 

"It's not just from training today, Ren; it's been the past week at _least_ ," he sighs.

 

Confusion flickers across Ren's face. "Well... I don't know why, I haven't changed anything about my routine and I'm not nearing rut,"

 

Hux doesn't want to ask, it's far too personal, but he had to do something so he'd make the sacrifice. "And your nest?" he asks quietly, swallowing thickly. 

 

Ren's eyes light up. "Yes, I made one," he nods. "It's, well, I don't know if it's right or not but I have been sleeping better. I think, anyway." he says earnestly.

 

Hux hesitates, he shouldn't be asking this but an unclean nest could be what was making Ren's scent fester. "Show me, show me your nest."

 

"Er, okay...?" Ren agrees, looking confused as to why but heading through to his bedroom and turning up the lights.

 

When Hux sees the 'nest' he understands everything; it was barely even a nest, just a pile of old laundry dumped on the bed amidst the covers.

 

He blinks once, twice, wondering how to broach the topic with Ren. "What did you read about alpha nests?" he goes with eventually, the stale stench sitting heavily on his tongue.

 

Ren rubs his arm. "The files didn't say much about how to build a nest of what it should look like, they just said it had to be personal affects and standard issue blankets."

 

Hux didn't expect much more from the Order's official teachings but the state of Ren's nest really was dire, had he never seen a nest before in his life?

 

"This is... no, this isnt a nest, Ren." he sighs. There was no structure to it, obviously just old laundry dumped into the bed; no entrance flap, no pockets for necessary items like food or water if a rut occurred. It was... a disaster and he tells Ren as much.

 

The alpha frowns and his scent, as stale as it was, seems to tinge with hurt. Hux convinces himself he's imaging it. "I didn't read anything about it needing a structure," he huffs.

 

"Of course they have a structure, distinct from omega nests, how- have you ever seen a nest before?" he asks.

 

Ren hesitates. "I have but only omega ones... and not in real life."

 

Hux can read between the lines and sighs; _porn_ , he'd seen them in porn. 

 

"I couldn't find anything about how to build one, not even in the Order archive!" Ren complains, a growl at the back of his throat threatening an oncoming tantrum. Hux needed to reroute him quick.

 

"They certainly have more structure than this," he frowns, gesturing to the bed. With a sighs, he folds his hands behind his back and ignores all social implications of what he was about to suggest; Ren didn't seem to know anything about dynamics beyond just basic biology so he doubted he'd know how intimate this would be.

 

Hux justifies it all as protecting his ship and crew, he didn't care if Ren felt safe or not, wasn't looking forward to the return of the scent he knew so well and loved to hate, loved how dark it turned in an argument. No, nothing of the sort.

 

"I suppose I could assist you in structuring your nest," he says carefully.

 

Ren turns to him and Hux wondered, just for a second, if Ren understands the meaning behind such an action or knows that Hux's interest isn't solely professional. Those thoughts disappear quickly, though, when Ren asks "How do you know how to build one?"

 

An easy enough question, Hux is almost thankful. "My father believed I would be an alpha, he had me informed on how to build a nest that will attract the right kind of omega,"

 

"But you're a beta."

 

"Yes, I know," he hisses, trying not to sound too bitter. "He wasn't too happy but that doesn't matter, do you want my help or not?"

 

Ren considers for a moment before nodding.

 

"Good; start by stripping off all these clothes and blankets and put them in the laundry chute, they won't do any good."

 

Ren does as he's big without protest, thankfully, and Hux crosses to the drawers to pull out the reserve bedding and starting to make the bed.

 

Stars, why was he even doing this?

 

He wasn't pretending it was a nest for himself, somewhere where he'd be safe and cared for. That was ridiculous, he was a beta, betas didn't nest. So why did he feel so hollow making the bed?

 

"Now what?" Ren asks, sounding eager almost.

 

Hux glances up at him as he tucks in the corners. He wants to tell Ren to shower but that really was crossing a line. "Request additional nest blankets from the catalogue on your pad then get some of your clothes while the droid gets here."

 

A nod and he disappears into the main room, presumably to use his pad. A few minutes later he returns and starts taking cloaks and tunics out of the wardrobe hidden in the wall, all black obviously.

 

Hux steps back from the bed and gestures to the three shelves above the bed. "You'll need to use the additional blankets draped over the top there and tuck the ends into the bed so a flap can come down and seal off the top of the bed," he explains. "These clothes should go around the top of the bed and inside the blankets themselves; _please_ change the clothes and sheets regularly or your scent will go stale." he says seriously.

 

Ren nods. "Sure, I- thank you." he says a little hesitantly, not looking directly at Hux.

 

The beta nods once, resisting the urge to ask if he needed anything else. He half didn't want to leave, he wanted to see the finished nest, wanted to climb in and-

 

Now he _was_ being ridiculous; he needed more sleep, that was all, it was just stress from getting Starkiller finished. Ren was a tantrum-prone knothead! Certainly not the kind of person to mate with and his alpha dynamic would only make Hux seem like a submissive bitch anyway, even though he did seem capable of fighting anything, no doubt able to keep any mate safe...

 

_No, stop it,_ he chides himself.

 

He nods. "Of course, I wish you luck." he says simply and practically flees the room, letting out a breath once he leaves the room.

 

The scent wasn't even oppressive anymore, stale, yes, but not threatening.

 

Sleep, he just needed more sleep.

 

* * *

 

Kylo showers thoroughly that night and can't help but smile as he climbs into his new nest.

 

He had attached the additional blankets to the top shelf with some tack and tucked one side under the bed while the front and other side was open as a flap, allowing him to climb in and then close off the world. The nest smells of his own scent as well as order detergent; it smells safe.

 

He would say it smells of home but he didn't have much of a reference for that, but it was close enough. It did feel as though something was missing, though. There was his smokey scent but no fresh tone, no lighter scent like rain on a forest planet.

 

Still, Kylo sleeps better than he has in a long time, dreaming of rainy oceans and green eyes.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tempted to write more for this one at some point but it felt natural to end it here so, for now, it stays pre-slash
> 
> I <3 comments, hint hint
> 
> shout at me on tumblr @reluctantly-awesome or on twitter @reluctantawe


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